What Do We Do to Help Anxious Dental Patients?

Getting dental care can be stressful for many people, and that anxiety may cause them to put off regular checkups and cleans—which puts them at risk for bigger problems that require more involved treatment. At St. Leonards Square Dental Care, we help to reduce your anxiety so you can get the dental care you need to keep your smile healthy and beautiful for a lifetime.

Our Drug-Free Approach

Sedation drugs, whether “happy gas,” oral or IV sedation options, come with potential side effects and risks. We prefer to minimise the use of medications, so we work with patients to address their anxiety through education.

We take the time to explain everything that we’ll be doing, and we answer all of your questions. We let you know what to expect before we do it, so you understand what’s happening in a step-by-step way. We’ll also let you know before we begin any treatment how painful it will be. Of course, we use local anaesthetic to ensure your comfort at all times.

The majority of our patients feel more relaxed just by knowing exactly what to expect. We also go at your pace, slowing the process down or spreading it over multiple visits to minimise your stress and fear.

Severe Anxiety

If you believe you need an anti-anxiety medication to allow you to receive dental work, we will organise a prescription for you. In severe cases of anxiety, we will refer you to a specialist who can better address your needs. This is especially so with anxious children who cannot cooperate—we’ll refer them to a trusted paediatric dentist to make sure they get the care they need.

Extractions

We’ll begin with a thorough examination to determine the complexity of your extraction. Extractions are often simple procedures we complete in-house with the use of a local anaesthetic. In complex extractions, we will refer you to an oral surgeon, who may offer oral or IV sedation or happy gas.

Any invasive or surgical procedure may carry risks. Before moving forward, it is recommended that you seek a second opinion from an appropriately licensed medical professional.